“I didn’t even know that there was such a thing as vegetarianism”

What is vegetarianism?

Vegetarianism is a dietary practice which excludes all meat. But it is not limited to diet: vegetarianism is also a lifestyle. The goal of many vegetarians is to protect animal life, as well as the environment as a whole.

There are several different types of vegetarianism, but most vegetarians abstain from meat while including milk and other dairy products, eggs, and honey in their diet.

Veganism is a more radical form of vegetarianism. Unlike vegetarians, vegans abstain not only from meat, but from all animal products (i.e. milk, dairy products, eggs, honey, gelatin, etc.).

Vegans also reject clothing made from animal products (e.g. leather or furs) and products developed using animal testing, and they do not visit places where animals are used to entertain the public. Many vegans, like vegetarians, are sensitive to ecological and environmental issues.

How popular are vegetarianism and veganism?

Although there are no accurate statistics on the proliferation of vegetarianism and veganism in the world, there is evidence which indicates that their popularity is growing with each passing year.

At present, the countries where vegetarianism is most widespread are thought to be India, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Taiwan, and the UK. In these countries, 10-30% of the population are vegetarians or vegans.

Some experts believe that the proliferation of vegetarianism and veganism is being accelerated by ecological problems and the appearance of numerous meat alternatives.

Meat Atlas 2021, published by the Heinrich Böll Stiftung, Friends of the Earth, and BUND, states that meat substitutes for vegetarians and vegans are growing quickly in popularity. Along with improvements in quality and an expanded selection, meat substitutes are becoming more popular thanks to criticism of the working conditions in the meat industry and the industry’s effects on the climate and the environment. In addition, in some countries the spread of vegetarianism is encouraged through tax breaks on the production of vegetarian and vegan food products.

Vegetarians and vegans in Azerbaijan

In Azerbaijan, the number of vegetarians is relatively small compared to the total population, but it is greater than the number of vegans. No statistics are collected and no studies have been done on these communities.

The vegetarians and vegans that we spoke to say that their number is growing – at least in their personal circles of friends and acquaintances there are more and more.

Agha Gulali wanted to become a vegetarian for a long time, but he didn’t feel ready for it. Then, two years ago, he finally turned his dream into a reality:

“I wanted to become a vegetarian, but I always came up with some excuse. Before, when I ate meat, I never thought about how it used to be a living thing, and that we actually killed and ate a living creature. The thought never crossed my mind. But after the information that I got from my vegan friends and from the internet, I realized that that was just selfish. Once I understood that there’s no need for us to eat meat, that it’s just a tradition, I decided to become a vegetarian.”

At first, Agha’s family was worried about his health, but according to him, after adopting a vegetarian diet his stomach problems stopped.

Agha encountered both negative and positive reactions from the people around him:

“The only negative thing was the stupid jokes. I’m used to them now. Actually, I don’t let anybody make fun of me that way anymore, because I never pressure anyone or make fun of them if they eat meat. The most positive thing is that I discovered hundreds of delicious vegetarian recipes.”

Eventually, Agha wants to become a vegan:

“Veganism is abstention from all animal products. Because we harm animals not only when we kill them, but also when we get milk or eggs from them. Actually, it’s the industry that does that. A lot of vegans think that it’s wrong even to produce milk or eggs on a family farm, but I don’t think you can call that exploitation in the full sense of the word. But I still want to give up milk and eggs eventually because milk is also harmful for our health. Every animal’s milk is intended for its offspring.”

“I didn’t even know that there was such a thing as vegetarianism”

Saadat Shukurlu became a vegetarian two years ago, and she says that even though she felt pity for animals when she was a child, she didn’t know anything about vegetarianism. She recounts that her family kept chickens and it was hard for her to eat them because she had seen them alive:

“I didn’t even know that there was such a thing as vegetarianism or veganism when I was little. When I grew up I started to look into it and realized that I want to be that way, because I pity the animals. It was a purely ethical decision.”

Later, when Saadat became a vegetarian, in any cafe she was always surrounded by fellow vegetarians. Thanks to their support, the process of adapting to a new lifestyle was made easier. But Saadat says that it’s hard to find a vegetarian restaurant in Azerbaijan, and many places don’t offer any vegetarian food at all.

According to Saadat, people in Azerbaijan think that it’s too expensive to be a vegetarian or a vegan. She herself thought that at one point:

“Until I became a vegetarian, I thought the same thing. I thought that I won’t have anything to eat, that I’ll have to spend a lot of money on soy meat, for example. Yes, it’s true, special meat substitutes are expensive. But if you just buy normal groceries, fruits and vegetables, then it’s a lot cheaper than meat or fish.”

Saadat says that if her mother spends 50 AZN at a shop to buy chicken, eggs, some meat, fruits, and vegetables, she can buy a lot more fruits and vegetables and a lot more variety for the same amount.

According to Saadat, if someone says they love animals, they should love them all regardless of species:

“There are people who feel sorry for street dogs and cats and they feed and take care of them, but they never think about how cows and chickens, for example, are also animals.”

Saadat believes that vegetarianism is a sort of bridge between a traditional diet and veganism. She says that it’s hard for some people to become vegans all at once, and so they start as vegetarians. But if their choice was well-informed, eventually they will definitely become vegans.